The present invention relates to a cigarette lighters and in particular to a cigarette lighters having safety features for preventing accidental operation, particularly by young children.
Cigarette lighters of the prior art include those having safety devices which prevent the accidental operation of the lighter unless the safety device is released. A typical safety device of the prior art prevents downward movement of a valve actuator of the lighter, the valve actuator remaining in contact with a fuel valve of the lighter. However, the safety devices of many such lighters do not automatically reset after the lighter has been operated. Some recently developed lighters have a so-called "self-retrieving" safety mechanism. However, such lighters are not wholly satisfactory since they are often awkward to operate, and the safety mechanisms are often not fully effective, particularly in that the valve actuator remains in contact with the fuel valve.
Thus there is a need for a cigarette lighter having a "self-retrieving" safety mechanism that is easy to operate by intended users, is inexpensive to provide, and which can reliably prevent unintentional and unauthorized use of the lighter, especially by young children.